


Why do the bad guys always have bombs?

by Windfighter



Series: Whumptober 2019 [2]
Category: Marvel, The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: Author is not a doctor, Gen, Hurt Tony, Injury Recovery, Whumptober 2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-02
Updated: 2019-10-02
Packaged: 2020-11-22 05:00:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20868593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Windfighter/pseuds/Windfighter
Summary: HYDRA. Again.A trap. Again.And Tony? Injured. Again.





	Why do the bad guys always have bombs?

**Author's Note:**

> For Whumptober day 2: Explosion
> 
> Not much to say? I don't know anything about medical stuff so sorry about that?

Heat washed over Tony. The shockwave pressed against him, collapsed his already cracked ribs, vibrated through the armor and made it fall apart at the seams. Threw him backwards, but the wall collapsed before he could slam into it. The flames followed him, wrapped around his body. He landed on the collapsed wall, bounced over the floor as the last pieces of armor fell off him. He clenched his teeth, not giving out even the slightest scream. The team was busy, they didn't need to worry about him. Defeating HYDRA was more important. He tried taking calm breaths to keep the pain at bay, but he couldn't. His lungs hurt with every breath. Fire had caught his clothes, burned through them and fused them with his skin and he rolled to put the fire out.

Pieces of wood was still burning around him. He couldn't move. Breathing was impossible. He managed to take a raspy breath, get some oxygen into his lungs, enough to cough out a call for help. The usual chattering on the com fell silent, exploded in shouting he couldn't make out. His vision was going out, his ears were ringing. He thought he could hear steps approaching – HYDRA? A teammate? He wouldn't have been able to tell – but the darkness grabbed him and pulled him under.

Why did the bad guys always have to use bombs?

The building shook beneath Clint, part of it crumbled as a shockwave rushed through it. Flames burst through a crumbled wall, caught the closest trees. Tony slid across the ground, only a few pieces of armor still covering him.

”I got eyes on him!” Clint called into the com.

”Where is he? Why isn't he answering?” Steve's voice cut through. ”We needed him here yesterday!”

”You'll have to make do without him I think.”

Strained breathing echoed through the com and Clint jumped off the roof, started moving towards Tony. Another cough, more purposeful this time.

”H-help.”

Everyone fell silent. Clint started running, but someone else was already approaching from the other direction. Steve shouted Tony's name, Sam and Peter did as well. Natasha called for Bruce who was on medvac duty. SHIELD was too far away, but Bruce called for them. Clint stopped five meters from Tony, Bucky already next to the genius.

”...it's not looking good, Stevie”, he muttered into the coms.

Clint walked closer, gently to not scare Bucky. Bucky glanced at him, then turned towards Tony again.

”Should we strip him?”

Clint sank to his knees, looked over his friend and his burned clothes. He shook his head.

”It's... we need to leave that for the doctors.”

Bucky nodded, looked Tony over for other injuries. Clint carefully moved Tony's head to make it easier for him to get air through his throat. He leaned down, his cheek above Tony's mouth. He couldn't feel anything, Tony's chest wasn't moving. He glanced at Bucky.

”Guard our backs. Bruce, he's not breathing.”

”I'm almost there, keep him alive.”

Clint nodded, pinched Tony's nose shut and carefully breathed air into Tony. Again, and again, and again. Bucky didn't move from his position, gun in his hands, ready to take down any HYDRA that dared come close. It felt like hours until Bruce arrived, then Peter landed only two seconds later and pulled his mask off. Bucky growled at him but let it be.

”How is he?”

Bruce didn't answer, only knelt next to Clint and carefully started going over Tony's body, leaving Clint to keep breathing for him.

”SHIELD is three hours away”, Bruce muttered. ”It'll be quicker to get him to the jet and the nearest hospital.”

”How are we looking?” Bucky asked into the com.

”Just finishing up. Peter was worried so we sent him ahead.”

Bucky glanced at the kid who was nervously switching his weight from one foot, then the other and then back again.

”I'll keep an eye on him.”

”I'm circling your position”, Sam said. ”No HYDRA in sight.”

Bruce placed a plastic mask over Tony's mouth, pushed the bag into Clint's hands and told him to keep up the work.

”We'll put him on oxygen when we get to the jet.”

Clint nodded. He pushed on the bag, forcing air into Tony. Bruce nodded, turned back to Tony. He wrapped bandages around the worst burns before leaning back. A short, panicked laugh left him.

”For someone who's been in the middle of an explosion he's doing pretty good. Okay”, he turned to Bucky. ”We need to get him on the stretcher.”

Bucky nodded. He and Peter walked up to Tony, took hold of him and lifted him. Clint was quick to let go of the bag with one of his hands to support Tony's head while still pushing air with the other. They lowered him gently onto the stretcher, didn't stop for more than a second before lifting it and heading back to the jet. They put Tony down on the bunk they had installed for emergencies and Bruce's after-Hulk naps and Bruce went back to work on stabilizing Tony. Peter sank down in the closest seat, Clint handed the bag to Bucky before heading to the pilot seat to start the jet. Bruce replaced the bag with an oxygen tank just as Natasha, Steve and Sam returned. They looked at Tony, his face pale, bruised and bloody, before sitting down in their seats. Bruce shooed Bucky off as well and the jet took off to the closest hospital.

Tony slowly became aware. He felt heavy. Part of him realized he should be feeling pain, but he was glad he didn't. He let the darkness take him again.

Opening his eyes felt like trying to lift the whole Avengers Tower with only one hand and he fell back into blissfull sleep.

Something was removed from his throat. He clenched his eyes shut in an attempt to escape the feeling. It was out and he tried to open his eyes. The room was bright, made his head hurt and he closed his eyes again.

There were voices around him. Tony opened his eyes, made out blurry shapes around the bed. He lifted his head, his hand, but fell back towards the bed immediately. He wanted to stay awake, but was swept under anyway.

The voices fell quiet when Tony opened his eyes. A hand was holding his. Small and dainty. He turned his head. It felt heavy. Strawberry hair and red eyes was all he could make out.

”Tears for your long lost boss?”

His voice was hoarse. A small laugh left the person.

”Tears of joy. I hate job hunting.”

Tony closed his eyes again.

There was pain. Tony opened his eyes. Pepper and Rhodey was next to the bed, Bruce standing at the feet of it. He tried lifting his head, but his body still felt heavy. Pepper pulled a hand through his hair before raising the bed, allowing him to almost sit. He blinked, stared at Bruce. Bruce tried to smile at him.

”Brucie-bear?”

His voice was hoarse. Rhodey held a cup of water to his lips and he took three sips.

”Is everyone... fine?”

Tony was starting to feel drained again. Bruce shook his head.

”Everyone's fine. Except you. How are you feeling?”

”Sore.”

Sore was an understatement. He closed his eyes again. Rhodey grabbed his hand, squeezed it.

”I'm gonna... make the next armor fireproof.”

Rhodey laughed and Tony fell asleep again.

Steve and Bucky was in the room. Steve had that sad look and Tony closed his eyes again. Bucky scoffed.

”We can tell you're not sleeping. Better get it over with.”

”I'm injured, you have to be nice.”

He coughed, pain rushed through his chest and left him breathless. Steve was next to him in a second, put an oxygen mask over his face. He rolled his eyes.

”Yeah okay. What's up, Cap?”

”I'm just... Did you know? That there was a bomb?”

”Not this time.”

Steve's face was still sad, asking why Tony always was ready to sacrifice himself and Tony closed his eyes to get away from it.

”I promise, Steve. I didn't try to get blown up this time.”

”We believe you”, Bucky said before Steve could. ”Get some sleep, you look like you need it.”

”You look great too, princess.”

He tried to stay awake, but he was drained.

”You need to sleep for longer than just an hour at the time”, Bruce told him.

”Means I'm getting better.”

”Yeah.”

Silence. Tony lowered the bed and raised it again. The television was on, but no sound was coming from it.

”How long have I been here?”

”Four days. You'll be moved to New York tomorrow.”

”...where is here?”

”Berlin.”

”Hm... makes sense.”

Bruce picked up a book and Tony slept for another thirty minutes.

Peter was sitting on the edge of the bed. Tony brushed his hand against Peter and the teen jumped, turned around and almost shrieked. Tony laughed.

”Hey kid.”

”Mr. Stark. I was so worried.”

”Yeah, sorry. I'll make it up to you?”

”Just promise it won't happen again.”

”It won't happen again.”

”You're lying”, Peter crossed his arms over his chest before letting out a sigh. ”I'll take it. Do you need anything?”

”A tablet?”

”Nu-huh, Pepper says I'm not allowed to let you do any work until the doctors clear you.”

”Betrayed by my own son.”

Tony closed his eyes and didn't see Peter's cheeks turn red. Peter sat down on the bed again.

”Someone has to look after you... dad.”

Tony smiled and stayed awake.

They sedated Tony during the move, but it didn't take him quite as much time to wake up this time. He stared at the ceiling, listened as his team talked around him. Doctors and nurses stopped by, checked on him, told him he'd have to take it easy for at least three weeks and no avenging for at least two months. Tony forgot what they said the moment they walked out of the door, but he could tell from his friends' faces that they wouldn't let him disobey the doctors.

Pepper – God bless her – brought his tablet so he'd have something to do. It distracted him the first day. He played with the remote to the bed when his head got too muddy to work, played cardgames with Clint and Peter while they were visiting, talked science with Bruce and Bucky and movies with Steve. Natasha red Russian books for him to get him to sleep and it was a lot more effective than he wanted to admit.

Day three and he was done with the hospital. The doctor wanted to keep him there another two or three days but he refused. Rhodey tried to convince him to stay but when it didn't work he asked the doctor what they needed to do to get him out. Rhodey was definately the best person in Tony's whole life and Tony loved him and he was definately not crying, it was just the pain meds making him tired and emotional. Rhodey laughed at him and he rolled his eyes.

”You're the worst person ever, Platypus.”

”Love you too, Tones.”

He returned home in the evening. The travel there was enough to leave him drained and exhausted, pain constantly dancing all over his body. Bruce arrived fifteen minutes after him with prescription painkillers and as much as Tony didn't want to take them he absolutely wanted them. Steve and Bucky made food, some type of stew that was easy for their injured teammate to eat, and Tony wanted to laugh because they were such motherhens, but he was eternally thankful for it. Natasha planted him in the couch, several pillows behind his back so he was almost but not quite sitting up. They ate in the living room, a movie playing on the television. Tony fell asleep with the bowl still resting on his stomach and Peter moved it before he spilled it over himself.

The avengers relaxed for the first time since the explosion. Tony was home. Everything would be well again.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so I know the iron Man armor is actually shockwave proof but uh... let's just pretend it was already compromised from the battle. Yeah, sounds good.


End file.
